An intervertebral implant of this type made of an elongate metal plate and therefore opaque to X-rays is known from DE-A 196,15,938. The disadvantages of this known implant reside in its radiopacity which makes a post-surgical assessment of the fusion of the vertebral bodies impossible.
The invention relates to an intervertebral implant which permits a postsurgical observation by means of X-rays and which at the same time is characterised by a high degree of biocompatibility.
The invention further relates to a device in which the relatively low modulus of elasticity of the radiolucent material is apt to encourage an optimum bone growth.
Suitable radiolucent materials include for example polyetheretherketones (PEEK), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPE) or polysulfones (PSU), in particular those having a modulus of elasticity of between 3 and 5 GPa.